In another world, opposite the Dark Workshop.
The Grand General had suddenly gone missing, and despite exhausting all methods to find him, even the leaders of the Shadow Guards and Hidden Guards had taken matters into their own hands, using their own ways to search—yet still, they could not locate their master. With the Lunar New Year approaching, as a member of the imperial family, their master, though always defiant of rules, could not miss the mandatory audience with the Emperor. Keeping the news of his disappearance under wraps was no longer feasible.
The strategist was also pressing urgently. Their master had come to search for the strategist’s younger sister, but now the searcher himself had vanished without a trace. The four men who had followed him closely had not only failed to send any messages but had also disappeared themselves. The situation was truly baffling, and the leaders were now contemplating suicide out of guilt.
Despite their worries, they had to carry on with their duties. At the entrance of a small cave, Lei Dongzhu led a few men forward and spat angrily, “Damn it, he’s finally dead.”
“General Lei, who’s dead?” asked the leader of the guards brought by Qi Biao.
“Who else? That so-called Thirteenth Adopted Son of the Marquis, the one who howled day and night—Shit Lord. Just now, Physician Gao sent word that the Shit Lord couldn’t hold on any longer and died of exhaustion tonight. They say his corpse looked even uglier than a demon.”
Lei Dongzhu’s face twisted in disgust. Shi Binhua’s death was for the best. If not for him, Lei wouldn’t have had to guard this godforsaken place in the freezing cold, unable to reunite with his wife and children for the New Year. But even in death, the man had to be revolting. Just thinking about Shi Binhua’s appearance made Lei feel like vomiting up his last meal.
“Uglier than a demon? Even a demon would be scared to death by you, General Lei,” the guard leader teased.
“Don’t talk about me. Your face isn’t much better. Want the brothers to judge?” Lei retorted.
“Judge my ass. Stuck here, none of us dare move much. None of us look better than a demon. I bet even the Black and White Impermanence would avoid us if they saw us,” one of Lei’s subordinates chimed in. They were all familiar with each other, so their banter was unrestrained.
As they idly chatted, soldiers escorted five people over and reported, “These five were sneaking around late at night—definitely up to no good.”
The closer it got to the New Year, the darker the nights became. Tonight, there wasn’t even a sliver of moonlight. To avoid detection by those in the Dark Workshop, they hadn’t lit any torches. Though it was too dark to see clearly, the five’s attire suggested two men, two women, and a child.
Hearing the soldiers’ accusation, the older man among them quickly defended himself, “Oh, sir, my family was just hurrying home. We meant no harm. Please investigate properly!”
“Rushing home? Why would you come to these wild mountains in the dead of night? There are barely any households for miles around, and this direction doesn’t even have a ghost in sight. Where exactly are you going home to?”
If not for the fear of alerting those in the Dark Workshop, Lei Dongzhu would have roared. In two days, it would be New Year’s Day, and here they were, stuck in this desolate mountain full of rough men. Without the Grand General’s orders, they couldn’t leave. Now, someone was claiming they were rushing home through these mountains? Might as well say they were rushing to be reborn—that would be more believable.
The man hastily bowed. “General, we really are going home—and we have to do it in the dark. I’m not lying. My home isn’t far from here, but the entrance can’t be seen during the day. Only at night can it be found.”
“Bullshit! You think you’re some reincarnated ghost? Take them away and execute them!” Lei grew angrier the more he listened. If he had to endure any more nonsense, he’d explode before these people could be reborn.
Faced with execution, the man pleaded, “Spare us, General! You’re actually right—my home is in Rebirth Gully. This trench was chosen by a strategist during Emperor Taizu’s reign. Though small, it’s arranged as a labyrinth. Once inside, even those with the strongest sense of direction can’t escape without a guide. They’d be trapped until death—hence the name Rebirth Gully.”
Though his words begged for mercy, his tone held no fear.
Lei Dongzhu waved dismissively, signaling the soldiers to drag them away. But one of Qi Biao’s attendants from the capital stopped them. “Wait. Old man, is what you said true? The labyrinth’s entrance can only be found at night? What about leaving? Must it also be at night?”
The man nodded. “You’re exactly right. To leave, it must also be at night. Even those who know the labyrinth can’t find the exit during the day.”
The attendant bowed deeply. “The person I’m searching for disappeared at night. Perhaps they wandered into this labyrinth. Please guide us. If we find them, you’ll be richly rewarded.”
Among the thirty attendants who had followed Qi Biao to the Dark Workshop—some from the capital, others selected from Qi Manor—this speaker was their leader. Hearing him, the others quickly understood, and two voiced their agreement. Though puzzled, Lei Dongzhu held his tongue—these were the Grand General’s men, after all. Ten of them followed the five strangers.
At the spot where they’d been intercepted, the man asked the soldiers to return their belongings. Led by the speaker, the group began their nighttime journey. The other four followed silently.
Twisting and turning, the ten attendants grew increasingly uneasy. This path was familiar—the same one Physician Gao had led them down before. It was believed to be the escape route of the Lin family’s Sixth Miss. Their master had repeatedly searched this path for traces of her, only to vanish here himself.
Growing suspicious, one attendant casually asked, “Brother, how can you walk so confidently in this darkness? Have you trained in some rare skill?”
The man chuckled. “No rare skill. My ancestors guarded this labyrinth. Each generation selects one person to take medicine from childhood to gain night vision. I was chosen, so the dark doesn’t hinder me.”
The attendants exchanged glances. Their master also had night vision—could he truly be lost in this labyrinth?
Another asked, “If you see the same at night as during the day, how do you distinguish the entrance?”
The man explained, “I said the dark doesn’t hinder me, not that night and day look the same. There’s a slight difference—just enough to find the entrance.”
Soon, he stopped. “We’re here. Think carefully—once inside, without special guidance, you’ll be trapped forever. Even if I explain how to leave, you won’t manage it alone.”
Their master was missing. If they failed to find him, they’d face death anyway. This was their only hope. Five stayed behind; the other five followed the guardian inside.
After a while, dawn approached. The silent middle-aged woman suddenly spoke, “Old man, is that smoke from our home?”
“Yes, Mother. Look—people are coming out.”
The five attendants followed their gaze and brightened. “Brother Tan Yi! And Tan Er, Tan San, Tan Si—the master must be here!”
The four men at the courtyard door tensed. “Who goes there?”
“Brother Tan Si, it’s Qi Wu. Is the master with you?”
After scrutiny, they recognized Qi Wu and the others but remained wary. “Who are these people?”
The middle-aged man stepped forward. “Sirs, I am Wei Zhongqi, guardian of this place. This is my wife, He Shi; my eldest son, Wei Shoutou; my daughter, Wei Ya’er; and my youngest, Wei Shoutai.”
Tan Yi demanded, “Proof that you’re the guardian?”
Wei Zhongqi smiled. “Proof exists, but not everyone is qualified to see it.”
Tan Si pressed, “If you guard this place, why bring outsiders in?”
Wei Zhongqi chuckled. “If I told you about Rebirth Gully in the middle of the night, would you believe me? In all my years as guardian, no one ever has. Besides, this place is a one-way trap. Those who enter never leave. What harm is there in bringing them in?”
Qi Wu sneered. “Aren’t you afraid we’ll kill your family if we’re trapped?”
Wei Zhongqi’s expression turned icy. “Hurt my family? Even all of you together couldn’t lay a finger on my five-year-old.”
Weapons were drawn instantly. The Wei family formed a protective circle around Wei Ya’er, while Tan Yi and Tan Er guarded the courtyard door.
Tension peaked—until an old woman emerged, scolding, “Tan Yi, Tan Er, why are you dawdling? Did you fetch the hawthorns? The Sixth Miss can’t digest without them!”
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